Testing the latest R&L Valve

I’ve been looking forward to testing out the R&L offering for sometime now.

So OK Guy’s, The test numbers are “IN!!!”

R&L has continued to improve their valve system. Randy sent me three different valve bodies, and the newest version of their valve stem. It is well machined and fairly conservative on air.

Here are the numbers in both my carbon fiber tank AND the standard AF tank, and shooting through a 7mm, or 27 5/8″ Barrel by TJ’s. Also set up by R&L.

This is a Semi custom R&L offering. The bushing supplied with the barrel are well fitted, and the finish and machine work of the barrel it’s self is exceptionally well done. The Barrel is nicely crowned, however, the end user needs to set the lede for his chosen himself.

The front bushing on this particular barrel is set up for its matched Shroud, in that the front bushing is threaded to match the base of the LDC. Between the threaded rear of the bushing/LDC, and the well thought out combo Muzzle alignment to shroud/ air stripper, very small Dia. passages are possible.

This really helps as small passages can often lead to clipping. This has been well taken care of. I was afraid at first the shroud was set up for .22 but a quick call to Randy at R&L confirmed that it was indeed a .257 Shroud. and NO It Didn’t Clip!!! I’m Stoked!

As many of you know, I cast my own bullets from a custom NOE mold that throws them out at 60 grains. This is a 20-1 lead tin mix, and is Very-Very accurate!!! Think 1/4″ out of a good barrel accurate 0n my 80 yard Home Range.

AF tank @ 3000 psi.

973 fps @ 126 fpe This is a HUGE performance increase above the Stock AF Condor valve, which was tested first. It ran a little over 800 fpe. In fact at 3200 it ran 830 for a fpe of 91.8.
That’s a 34 fpe increase from the valve alone folks! (Even at 3500 psi, the AF stock valve could only reach 850 fps).

Now for the good stuff!!!

In the CF bottle, set at 3700, the factory valve hit only 850 for a fpe of 96.28. It would seem that the AF valve had pretty much reached it’s limit of flow capacity.

This is with the supplied valve body and newest stem.

3000 psi in a factory bottle with 3000 psi, 973 fps for a fpe of 126. Not bad at all!

Now put this same valve in the cf bottle, and fill to 3700 psi, and it still responds.
It put the 60 gr. NOE Flat Point down range at 1037 fps for a total of 143.31 fpe.

I would say that this is a very respectable improvement over the factory offering. In fact, a Woo-Hoo Improvement!!! LOL!!!
What’s more, it is immediately available with a simple phone cal, visit to R&L’s web site, l or e-mail.

There something else coming along, that is even more exciting! Wish I could tell you all about it. But it is going to change bullet shooting quest for ALL involved.
Perhaps one of the players will chime in once every thing is finalized.

Oop’s! Did I hear someone ask, Yeah, that’s all great, but how did it shoot. could you hit the broad side of a barn with it? Well, yes you can. In fact, you can hit the screw heads holding the Barn Doors on their hinges.

First shots were two at a time, 80 yards, at 1″ circles. First two shots formed a overlapping horizontal 8. Moved on to the next target, same-same. Next same-same. Three targets, three locking horizontal 8’s. Not only that, they were all in exactly the same place on the targets! Extreme spread of group? How about well under .295″ Yep, under 1/4″ at 80 yards. I got cocky and shot a 10 shot group. Of course there was the always present flyer. And one only. You guessed it. It was the last shot! Grrrrr!!! Group size, still under 3/8″. Add in the flier,and it increased to just under 1/2″. I’ll Take It!

No wonder they don’t want Tofazfou shooting at the Extreme Bench rest!!!LOL Yeah-Yeah, I know-I know, it’s the safety thing. But Still—–The way these .257’s shoot—–I wouldn’t want to try an beat them!

Knife